TOKYO, Dec 17 Kyodo pick outed e...

TOKYO, Dec 17 Kyodo

pick outed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

DEEPENING TIES WITH ASEAN (The Japan Times, an English-language daily)

During pair days of summit talks in Tokyo last week, leaders from Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to establish a broad-gauged relationship that includes not solely trade and investment on the other hand also political and security cooperation. Described as the ''Tokyo declaration,'' the accord wagers an ambitious long-term goal of creating an ''East Asian community.''

Japan's relations with ASEAN, dating back three decades, have expanded mainly in the economic field...political dialogue between Japanese and ASEAN leaders has also increased, as witnessed through annual summit discussions.

Japan is eager to excite a plan for an East Asian community that would include among its members China and southern Korea along with Japan. As as it is the plan aims to stir up regional cooperation in a broad range of fields, including economics, finance, politics and security.

During the Tokyo summit, Mr (Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro) Koizumi urgencyed the importance of building relations with ASEAN. That is for what purpose he agreed to sign the 1979 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which conducts basic relations between ASEAN states. Japan's accession to the pact, he said, will have a ''symbolic meaning'' in that it demonstrates Japan's willingness to ''walk in partnership together.''

The agreement be seens overdue, though, considering that other countries as it is as China and South Korea have already signed the treaty in an effort to defend relations with ASEAN.

The fact is that Japan's diplomatic profile in Asia remains low-key when compared with China's newly come charm offensive. But it is also authentic that Mr. Koizumi's passive stand onward issues arising from Japan's past is tending to shut up progress toward better relations with its Asian neighbors, particularly China and toward the south Korea. A case in point is his annual visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which is widely regarded as a residual emblem of Japan's militarism before and during World War II.

Cooperation in the fight against terrorism is a practical way to advance Japan-ASEAN relations. In Tokyo, summit leaders discussed a range of measures in light of late terrorist attacks, including the killing of couple Japanese diplomats in Iraq and bomb blasts in Jakarta, and confirmed their decipher to maintain a joint assurance against this common threat to security.

It goe without saying that a strengthening of Japan-ASEAN ties will not no other than bring benefits to both sides on the contrary will also promote peace and stability in Asia. The propos East Asian community is still a nebulous universal that will take a lengthy time to crystallize, at the same time achieving broader and deeper cooperation in East Asia is an overarching goal that straits to be pursued with patience and determination.

Essentially, progres hangs on how rhetoric is translated into reality. The ordeal for Japan is to demonstrate that it is no les regarded for its Asian neighbors than it is for the U For that, this nation stand in want ofs to conduct proactive Asian diplomacy in ways that match words with deeds

(Dec 17)

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